Improvement in thill-coupling



H. Z. MAST.

Thll Coupling.

No. 104,045. Patented June 7,1870.

'WM-Leases N. PETERS; FHOTO-LJTHOGRAPHER, wAsmNGToNervC getint Gettin.

HENRY Z. MAST, 0F FORK MEETING HOUSE, MARYLAND.

Letters Patent No. 104,045, lated June 7, 1870.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Z. MAST, of Fork Meeting House, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'Phill-Couplings; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying. drawing making apart of this specication, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved device;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same; and

Figure 3 is a vertical central section onthe line x c: of iig. 2.

Letters of like name aud kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

My invention has for' its object the locking in place ofthe bolt connecting the pole-eye and shackle or coupling; and y It consists in the employment of a metal disk so pivoted to or upon the outer side of one of the'ears of the coupling as to enable it to be shut down when desired, over and against the lead' ot' the bolt, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

It also consists in the employment of a spring, `secured to the locking-disk and embracing the outside of the ear when said disk is shut down, so as to secure the latter in place, substantially as hereinafter shown.

In the annexed drawing is shown a shackle or coupling of usual construction, consisting of a clip, A, having secured to and projecting forward from one of its sides two ears, B and B', which furnish a bearing for a bolt, C, passing horizontally through the same, between which ears and upon said bolt is pivoted the pole orshackle-eye D.

As ordinarily constructed, the bolt G has upon one end a head, c, while its opposite end projects through the coupling, and is either provided with a screwthread and nut or with atransverse slot, throughV which'a split key, leather s t-rap, or other equivalent device is passed, for the purpose of securing said bolt in position and preventing its accidental displacement.

It has been found, however, that none of the abovedescribed fastenings'are reliable, and serious accidents are continually occurring from the iincoupling of the thills .while the carriage is in motion.

To remove these objections, and insure the safety of the connection between the pole-eye and shackle,

I employ a metal disk, E, having the form shown in `r fig. 1, which is pivoted at b, t0 or upon the side of Y pass over and rmly clasp said ear,

" one of the ears B, so as to permit itv to be rotated until the outside of the head c of the bolt C is covered, as shown by the dotted lilies in iig. 3, and effectnally secured in place.

1f, as shown in the drawing, the head c projects entirely beyond the ear B, it will be necessary for the disk E to be provided with a recess, e, within its inner face, but if'a suitable couutersink, corresponding in size and shape with said head c, be provided within said ear, so as to contain 'said head, the locking-disk may have a planeiuner face alid be constructed of` thinner metal than would otherwise be necessary.

In order that the disk E may be locked in place when closedover or against the head c, a dat spring, F, is secured at one end upon the `edge of Ysaid disk near the pivot l), and from thence extendsforward and downward ina curve, the diameter of which is somewhat less than the circle ofthe ear B, so that, when the disk is closed down, the eud'of said spring shall as shown by the dotted' lines in fig. 3. v

To release and raise the disk it is only necessary that the outer end of the spring be bent outward until it will clear the ear.

The advantages afforded by this device are, perfect security from accident occasioned bythe displacement of the bolt, and ease and rapidity of operation in changor removing the thills.

An additional advantage will be found in the ease and trilling expense with which the device maybe attached to chill-couplings of ordinary construction.

Having thus fully set forth the nature arnd merits of my invention,

IVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The disk E provided with the spring F and pivoted to the ear B, when constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In chill-couplings, the combination of the disk E, the ears B and B', and an ordinary bolt, G, upon which the shackle-eye I) is pivoted, when the several parts are constructed substantially as described aud shown, and arranged to operate as and for the purpose XVitnesses Guo. S. Persons, SAML. S. MARR. 

